


Actions Speak Louder

by Lunarlooroo



Series: Languages of Love [2]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: But he's Harry's grumpy git, F/M, Fluff, M/M, Ron is concerned, Severus is a grumpy git
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-11-03
Updated: 2016-11-03
Packaged: 2018-08-28 20:29:49
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,490
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8461879
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Lunarlooroo/pseuds/Lunarlooroo
Summary: Ron is back again with concerns about his best friend's relationship. How can they not even say 'I love you'?Harry still believes his best friend's worries are unnecessary. Severus' actions say more than most people know.





	

Harry hmmed and ahhed at appropriate junctures as he watched his best friend moan about this month’s grievances. It was usually either about work or Hermione. Seemed it was the latter this time.

“Hermione complained that I don’t say the L word enough,” Ron muttered irritably, nursing his drink like it was the solution to the world’s problems. Knowing Hermione’s take on an inebriated Ron, Harry thought that it was rather the opposite.

“She kicked me out to the couch after some absolutely _brilliant_ shagging ‘cos I didn’t say _it_!” Drunkenly, Ron slammed his mug onto the table. “Can you believe her?!”

“Stop right there. I _really_ didn’t need to know anything at all about you and Hermione’s sex life,” Harry said quickly.

Waving off his protests, Ron said, “This is serious, Harry! Do you think I don’t say it enough?”

Harry shrugged. “I wouldn’t know. Severus and I have never said it to each other.”

“Never?” Ron’s eyes widened incredulously. “At all? Even _I_ have, mate!”

“Fat lot of good it’s done you, Ron. I’m not the one drinking myself to oblivion.”

A crude gesture later, Ron said, “Aren’t you worried, mate?”

“Why worry?” Harry asked back. “We don’t need to say it to know we love each other.”

“But without him saying it, you never really _know_.”

Harry rolled his eyes. “You’ve met Severus, right? We’ve been together for almost five years – living together for three. If he didn’t love me, I would have been kicked to the kerb before even moving in.”

“I dunno, mate. Seems like a pretty sweet deal for him – regular sex with a decent bloke. He doesn’t have to love you for that.” Ron then screwed his face up. “You know what? _Obliviate_ me of that thought.” Grimacing, he added, “I didn’t need that visual.”

“A whack to the head would work just as well, you idiot!” And Harry did just that.

~~~

Blinking the last vestiges of sleep away, Harry felt warm and content. Looking across the bed, he wasn’t surprised to find his lover missing. Because of Ron’s seemingly never-ending whining, Harry had gotten home really late. Normally, Severus would have waited up for him, but he had an early appointment today.

Harry snuggled deeper into the bed, smiling as he realised that Severus had tucked him in after getting out of bed. He remembered waking briefly when the bed shifted and being lulled back to sleep by a soothing hand carding through his hair. Reluctantly, he got up, leaving his comfy cocoon.

After his morning ablutions, he went downstairs, intending to fix himself a simple meal. He preferred blander foods after a drinking session, even if he hadn’t indulged very much last night. As he entered the kitchen, he spotted a bowl of porridge with blueberries and sugar under a stasis charm. Chuckling, he dug in eagerly. It wasn’t possible that this bowl was leftovers from his lover’s own meal. Severus _hated_ porridge; he likened it to baby food.

As it was Harry’s day off, he spent the morning relaxing. By that, he meant working in the herb garden. It had been one of the chores he hadn’t minded at the Dursleys’. If only because they wouldn’t go into the sun to bother him. Since his lover was a Potions Master, their interests lined up well.

He tended diligently to the plants. The asphodel needed trimming and some fertiliser would do the lavender some good. It was also time to harvest the dittany and fluxweed. He’d have to remember to do so on the next full moon. As he puttered around the rather large garden, he studiously avoided the luxurious-looking balsam apple in the corner.

Harry had given the plant to Severus way back then in the early stages of their relationship. He was a difficult man to buy for, so when Harry had seen the odd plant during one of his exchanges to Africa, he had thought immediately of Severus. The last time Harry had touched it, Severus had about blown his top. His lover had retorted that his clumsy fumbling would surely kill the poor thing. Nevermind that he was capable of tending to the much more delicate sopophorous plant they had.

The man just wouldn’t outright say that he wanted to personally care for the first Christmas present that Harry had gotten him. Harry chuckled to himself at the that, silently thanking Merlin that his lover wasn’t around to catch _that_ thought in his head.

After washing up from his romp in the garden, he settled resignedly behind his desk. His off day it might be, but paperwork didn’t do itself. He would know; he had put this off for a week already. He’d never have thought that back when he’d made the switch from Auror to Auror _Instructor_ he would get so much more work.

As he fished out the stacks of scrolls he needed to go through, he grimaced. His special rainbow ink had run out two days ago. Not that he _needed_ it for work. It was simply an indulgence he had. What? The paperwork was boring enough without the miles of plain black ink. He simply charmed it black before submitting it.

Harry sighed and faced the inevitable. Opening his desk drawer, he grabbed a random bottle of…rainbow ink? Blinking, he peered into the drawer and found four more colourful bottles sitting inside it. His mouth stretched into a slow smile. This had Severus written all over it, pun not intended. And if he wasn’t mistaken, his favourite quill looked sharper than normal. Harry could never quite manage to sharpen the tips to the fine needlepoints that Severus did.

Heart warmed, Harry settled down to do his paperwork with more enthusiasm than he’d ever had.

~~~

The clock chimed as Harry crossed the last t on the parchment. Sighing in satisfaction at his finished pile of work, he stood and stretched. Just in time, too. He noted that the hand with Severus’ face on it was pointed to ‘On the Way Home’.

He walked into their bathroom and started the bath. Severus was sure to be in a mood after his meeting with Alderton. The man was a total imbecile with potions, or so his lover said. Unfortunately, he was also a huge customer of Severus’. Hopefully, a good, hot soak would soothe his ruffled feathers.

If that didn’t work, then the dinner Harry was going to make sure would. Pan-seared Dory with lemon butter sauce and tiramisu for pudding would do just the trick.

As he was mixing the sauce, the wards tingled lightly and the front door opened. Harry turned to welcome his lover home. As expected, he was in a right snit, obvious by his thunderous expression.

“Bath’s ready,” was all Harry said. It was only acknowledged by a brief nod as Severus stormed past.

Putting the finishing touches on their dinner, Harry suddenly noticed a package on the table. He eyed it curiously but otherwise left it alone. Severus sometimes brought home volatile potions ingredients that his ‘careless fumbling’ would ruin.

As if his thoughts had summoned him, Severus stepped into their kitchen which also served as a dining room. The bath had obviously done wonders for his mood. Already, his shoulders had lost their previous stiffness and his brows their furrow.

“Just in time, I’ll just need to set the table.” Harry turned to get their utensils but was stopped by a hand on his arm.

“No, I shall do it.” Severus paused as he walked past him to place a chaste kiss on his lips before heading for the cupboard where they stored their cutlery.

Yup, definitely in a better mood. Harry hummed to himself as he brought their meals to the table and waited for Severus to return.

They (well, more Harry) chatted idly as they ate their dinner. He was glad that Severus had finally lost all the tension from his frustrating meeting.

Once they had finished their dinner and afters, Severus picked up the package and tossed it to him.

“What is it?” Harry asked, even as he was opening it. He didn’t need to look up to see the raised eyebrow Severus was sure to be sporting. It was a book, he realised. Not just any book – _Magickes Moste Defensive_. “I’ve been looking for this for months!”

“Evidently, you were not looking in the right places.” Severus sniffed disdainfully. “I found it with little problem.”

Considering there were only 50 copies left in existence, 13 of which in Britain, Severus was likely exaggerating. Well, far be it from Harry to call his lover out on it. Instead, he simply pulled him in for a long, deep kiss.

Forget what Ron said. If this wasn’t love, then no such thing existed. Harry didn’t need any verbal declarations of adoration if he could have Severus’ particular brand of silent love.

Actions spoke louder than words anyway.


End file.
